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Monday, October 12, 2009

Plan B

Well, I know you all are wondering what we ended up doing for dinner on Friday - the solution was to split a hamburger and fries at our favorite burger joint. One nice thing is that if you tell them you are splitting the burger when you order, they will do it for you and place the two halves, with fries, in separate baskets. It was good, and I mentioned to my husband when we were leaving that it was nice to walk out feeling pleasantly full, but not stuffed. Even though I've been doing this whole "portion control" thing for well over a year now, I still surprise myself when I manage to do it at a restaurant. I don't know why - I guess it's just years and years of coming away feeling stuffed and regretful over the amount that I ate. Wonder if those feelings will every dissipate?

Speaking of being full, I was a little stuffed from the smoothie I made Sunday night - I used my mixed frozen fruit and some new POM Nectarine that the POM people so nicely sent me. I normally make my smoothies with just water, but I have to say that adding the POM really, really makes them taste great! However, that great taste comes with a price - about 150 extra calories - so I don't plan on doing this in the future. But, wow...it was good!

New POM flavors - Nectarine and Kiwi

It was a cold, rainy, dreary weekend here - and while it dried out enough to go for a bike ride on Saturday evening, it was too cold for me and I ended up cutting it short. The wind went right through my clothes - I will have to investigate some cold-weather exercise gear before my next ride. This snuck up on me, needing clothes like that...I've never had a need for them because, let's face it - if it was cold, the old Shelley wasn't going outside to exercise! I guess I'm still learning who I am - and apparently I am someone who will continue to bike ride in the cold!

We've started splitting entrees too. The easiest is take out Chinese. The portions are usually so generous. We each get a soup and then one entree to split. It's a small change but those small changes add up. The cold weather brings new challenges.

Restaurants are still tough for me. I think I am about 50/50 on the success rate, but that's not too bad.

Cold weather biking, brrrrr! I have my limits. If it is below 30, I don't go. Other than that, just layer up. Make sure your top is short enough so it doesn't interfere with pedaling, because that will annoy the heck out of you, trust me! And don't forget to make sure the bottom of your pantlegs are snug against your ankles so they don't catch in the chain. Trust me, you don't want that LOL!

It's so neat to see these changes become a lifestyle as opposed to a "diet." I love splitting meals with the hubs. That way, I can indulge without busting a gut. Alternatively, I box half and eat it for lunch the next day. For example, today I'm having leftover jerk chicken with brown rice/raisins/cashews and smashed yams from our Sat. dinner at Johnny Mango's. mmmmmm.

I love biking and last winter I invested in some Underarmor which allowed me to get some outside rides in the cold weather. Just make sure you get the stuff for cold weather. Also keep in mind it needs to be cold enough out to wear it....I found out the hard way by wearing it once when it was chilly out but not really cold enough for it and ended up getting overheated on my ride.

Good work on splitting the meal..I agree that eating out is the toughest when it comes to portion control. Personally I don't do it very often so when I do I always feel that I "deserve" whatever I want...which isn't always the best option. lol You're doing awesome!

I see people biking all the time, rain or shine and in biking shorts. I think they must have special fabric either that or they are immune to cold. I'm in an area where they are probably hundreds of bicyclers on the weekends and it does not seem to matter, the weather. Except we're expecting a huge storm starting this afternoon...should not be too many cyclists out in pouring down rain.

I got the POM also and watered it down with water so that my water was slightly pink (to celebrate Feel Your Babies Month).;-)

My greatest downfall when it comes to food portions are at restaurants. Reading your post makes me realize it is possible to keep to portion control is I have the restaurant do it for me or divide it beforehand with a doggy bag.

Wow Shelley - nothing but progress here - portion control at a restaurant and cold weather workout clothes?! You really are hitting it.

Restaurants are such a danger zone for me - it's sort of like adult Disneyworld - someone taking my order, cooking my food and cleaning up after me. It feels like such a fantasy that I guess I think all those calories I consume will just melt away like magic.

I DEFINITELY stay inside for winter. There just are no clothes that will allow the human lung to voluntarily accept -20 air. Around here, the malls (all indoor) open early, and provide little maps showing how many laps of the mall you have to walk to get to a mile (ours is 8). There are a LOT of old men who do this regularly.The gossip in me is dying to know what you deleted...But I guess that's why you deleted it.I never share with my hubby because he doesn't want to. So I just either bag it and eat it later, or not. Eating too much in a restaurant hasn't been a problem since the food allergy deal. There is hardly any restaurant food I can eat, and sorry - I DON'T want to eat salad all the time.

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